Over the past two decades, Dr. Troy Bankhead has dedicated his career to unlocking the secrets of the bacterial species that cause Lyme disease and Relapsing fever. His research has already yielded many discoveries into the life cycles of the bacteria and how they evade the immune system. The work has the potential to lead to new avenues for treatment and prevention of these debilitating diseases.
Dr. Bankhead is currently a professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and the director of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Multidisciplinary Program in Infectious Disease.
He recently took some time to discuss his work at WSU.
What are your current research interests and what attracted you to that area?
My current research interests are immune evasion and host adaptation mechanisms by pathogenic Borrelia species that cause Lyme disease and relapsing fever. I was drawn to these areas because I was fascinated by the complexities of the systems present in these pathogens, and the fact that they are key to their ability to carry out long-term persistent infections that lead to the chronic symptoms associated with disease.
How can your research help people and animals?
Lyme disease afflicts both humans and domestic animals. Currently, there is no vaccine for humans. Although there is a vaccine for dogs, the efficacy could be greatly improved. The benefit of our research is that it can potentially lead to vaccine and therapeutic targets to prevent or treat infection.
What do you enjoy about working with students?
I really enjoy watching my students develop and adapt their critical thinking and technical skills over time. It never ceases to amaze me how much they can improve from the time they start their studies to the time they graduate.
What motivates you outside of work?
My family is very important to me. Although all of my three kids are now grown, I make it a point to visit them regularly, and their continued interest and pride in what I do is a great source of motivation for me.
What are you most proud of in your career to this point?
I’m most proud of seeing my former students move on and develop successful careers in science and research. I am particularly proud when I attend conferences where they are invited speakers and get to see them talk about their own scientific pursuits and achievements.